


Stick-Poke

by FrozenHearts



Series: Connections Around Eos (And Other Hidden Monstrosities) [6]
Category: Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Bars and Pubs, Canon Compliant, Devil May Cry 5 Spoilers, Episode Gladiolus DLC, Episode Gladiolus Spoilers, Flirting, Gen, M/M, Mentioned Noctis Lucis Caelum, Mentioned Prompto Argentum, Pre-Canon, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 02:16:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19347499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: If there was ever a better place than Devil May Cry to get information on a being like Gilgamesh, Cor hoped he found it soon because Gladio's habit of flirting with anything that so much as existed was getting old.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this was just going to be a oneshot but then I got carried away and it turned into a multi chapter thing whoops

If there was ever a better place than Devil May Cry to get information on a being like Gilgamesh, Cor hoped they found it soon because Gladio's habit of flirting with anything that simply existed was starting to get old. 

It wasn't that Gladiolis Amicitia was a bad person or bad to look at- he was a great man with a wealth of knowledge and looks that anyone his age would be lucky to have, and being the Royal Shield to the Crown Prince of Insomnia was no laughing matter either, but time and time again, Cor and Gladio's friends and even Clarus had watched him try again and again to pick people up to no avail. 

"He can get anyone he wants," Clarus once said when they watched Gladio almost trip over himself at a party, "Anyone! And yet he chooses to go after what may be nothing more than a fling."

Cor remembered he told Clarus to give it time. That at those teenage years, boys were bound to think more with their dicks than their brains on the best of days and "Don't you remember being that age and in love with every other woman you came across?"

Clarus had responded with a shrug before cackling at the sight of his son nearly face-planting in the bushes. Cor grinned to himself as he sat at the bar, leaning his elbows on the counter as Gladio sat next to him staring at the door, a bored look on his face. 

The place was completely empty, save for the two of them, and the more he looked at it, Cor realized it had a very old-timey feel to it. Black and white tiles were cracked and scuffed across the floor, every wooden surface was probably once gleaming with polish but now sat covered in dust and a spiral staircase was just to his left leading who knew where. 

"If you keep jiggling your leg like that it might just fall off," Cor commented after what felt like a fortnight of silence. He could hear the slight jingle of Gladio's necklace as he shook ever so slightly with the movement.

"Then I'll just beat Gilgamesh to death with it," Gladio grunted.

"Uh-huh," Cor smirked, tapping a finger on the counter. "Would you be able to defend Noctis with that leg?"

Now Gladio was giving him a sly grin, a almost dirty twinkle in his eye as he said, "Prince Charmless would only hope to be between these thighs and a hard place."

Cor pursed his lips, simply raising an eyebrow at his friend's son. He knew Noctis and Gladio ribbed each other about certain things, but whatever they did or wanted to do besides closed doors was their business. Besides, Cor thought, Prince Noctis definitely has an eye on his little blond friend. 

Idly, he reached over and tapped a small bell on the counter, the ding sounding like a stampede in the cavernous lobby. Dust floated as the bell shifted to the left, making Cor want to sneeze. 

"Bless you," a deep husky voice sounded behind him just as he got out his handkerchief, and Cor nodded, ignoring Gladio's sharp jabs into his side from a heavy elbow.  

"Thanks," Cor said, still not turning around despite Gladio's newfound interest; he could see the boy with wide eyes from his peripheral, wantinf to laugh at how he was practically drooling. 

"Is the owner in yet?" the man said- definitely a man, Cor realized, considering the only woman with a deep voice he knew was Monica and even then, her voice wasn't that deep. 

"Nah," Gladio replied, "Been waiting for... an hour now? I think?"

Cor shrugged in response, squaring his shoulders before drawing his back up properly, spinning on his chair to find the newcomer standing just in the door frame, shoulders hunched and head dipped low. A tapping noise accompanied him as he moved forward, the man's left leg slightly dragging in a limp behind him. Black hair hung shaggy in his face and a book was tucked under his other arm. 

"I see," the man sighed, "Perhaps I may wait with you, then?" 

Cor didn't really care. Whatever this guy was here for, it was most likely something akin to the occult or satanic or what have you. Gladio simply shrugged, trying (and failing miserably) at looking nonplussed while the man hobbled over to an old red couch pushed against a wall by the door. The mam coughed as a cloud of dust engulfed him , but simply crossed his legs and opened his book and that was that. 

Cor took the time to really look at him as the silence was fast approaching once more; thick black hair, too-skinny limbs and an outfit Prompto would have loved, the guy screamed "goth" to the heavens. Leather pants looked painted on and he wore a long sleeveless trench coat over a corset underneath. 

Christ- and he thought those went out of style eons ago.

"Wonder where he got those tattoos done," Gladio commented under his breath.

Cor gave him a pointed look, "No."

Gladio scoffed, "I asked about his tattoos!"

"Don't even-"

Footsteps caught everyone's attention along with a hurried "Sorry! Sorry!" as the man who Cor could only assume was the owner practically tripped over himself- halfway down he jumped on the banister and slid the rest of the way, rubbing his bum as he planted his feet with an echoing stomp at the end.

"Ooh, I am getting way to old for that," Cor heard him curse under his breath, but the man straightened up quickly, sauntering behind the counter and plopping himself in a chair, plonking his feet on the counter as if resting them on the dashboard of a car. 

"Devil May Cry," the man announced with a tired rasp, "How can I help you?"

Cor didn't say anything at first, simply sizing him up; black jeans, a long red leather coat and boots crusted in gods knew what, Cor could admire a mam who worked hard. His arms were nothing to scoff at either, bulging as he most likely flexed on purpose while rolling up the sleeves. 

"Yeah, yeah," the man groaned, "I'm Dante, Son of Sparda, Prince of Hell yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah-"

"That's all fine and good but we don't have time for pleasantries," Cor was surprised to hear himself speak, "We need information."

"That's what they all say, sweet cheeks," Dante flicked strands of white hair out of his face, "You got the dough, we can go, you know?"

Cor raised an eyebrow at him, ignored Gladio laughing at him behind a fake cough.

He did not get paid enough to put up with this shit, that was for sure. Cracking his knuckles, Cor leaned forward, "I don't know exactly what information you dabble in, but we're on a time crunch, my friend and I."

 "So you said," Dante grinned, "Now is your friend Big and Beefy sitting next to you or that leather-clad BDSM wannabe sitting on the couch over by the door?"

Cor blushed hotly as he gestured to Gladio, "Gladiolus Amicitia, Shield to Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum of Insomnia."

Dante whistled, putting his feet down and leaning forward to shake hands, "Fancy titles, y'all rich or what?"

"What, you need help running this joint?" Cor asked. 

Dante at least had the decency to look sheepish as he said, "Money's been tight recently- not as many demon sightings means not enough work means not enough to pay the bills and, well, you get the idea."

Cor nodded, "Then perhaps we can help each other."

"Sure thing!" Dante smacked the countertop with an open palm, "Whaddya got for me?"

Cor grinned- now they were getting somewhere. Almost secondhandedly, as Dante whipped out a book from under the counter, Cor tappes Gladio's ankle with his foot. The kid frowned, sniffling as he said "Yeah?"

Cor knew he was going to regret this. He knew this was probably the worst idea since knowing the kid, but....

"Why don't you go sit on the couch," Cor suggested, jutting his chin in the general direction, "Let the adults talk."

Gladio looked affronted, "I'm twenty-three, Cor."

"And I don't care," Cor shot back, "Just... go. I know you want to anyway."

So with a little grumbling and knowing look from Cor and Dante, thry watched as Gladio lumbered to his feet a trudged over to where the other guy was reading his book on the couch. Dante pouted, eyes narrowed as they watched him go.

"Your friend is gonna make an idiot of himself, isn't he?" Dante smacked his lips.

Cor huffed, "Don't I know it."

"Uh-huh," Dante said, "Well, Cor, what is it you need info for? A Malphas? Imp? Lesser demon?" Kyklops?"

As Dante excitedly listed off who knew what (seriously, what was a Kyklops? A Malphas didn't exist either, according to the folklore books in the Citadel library), Cor grimaced, pressing his fist to his mouth for a rough cough. 

"Uh... no, nothing like that," Cor wheezed through the filter of dust he had upset, "He lives deep in the caves, somewhere out on the plains of Longwythe."

"Near Hammerhead?" Dante whistled, "That's a long way from Red Grave City- you two out of towners then?"

Cor nodded, "You could say that."

And suddenly Dante was launching into a rathrr impressive spiel about the history of Red Grave City, how demons overran it until he and someone named Vergil showed up but, oh would you look at that, Vergil was evil this whole time and-

And this whole thing was a crock of shit. Sighing, Cor decided to steal a peek at Gladio over his shoulder- the idiot was sprawled against the couch with the other guy, his object of interest so thoroughly unimpressed as he leafed through his book, he was surprised Gladio hadn't noticed he wasn't entirely paying attention to him. 

Gods, he wished Clarus was here to see this. 

Dante seemed to notice Cor's attention had been waned, narrowing his eyes as he looked over hia shoulder at the two on the couch.

"Hey! You guys wanna leave room for Jesus or what?" Dante barked, cackling as Gladio jumped almost fifty feet in the air. Shaking his head, Dante waved a hand at them, "Just kidding- I'm supposed to be the fun uncle, please let me live up to my reputation-"

"Anyway," Cor said loudly, bringing Dante's attention back to himself, the guy we're looking for is Gilgamesh. Was once known as Blade Master to the First King of Lucis."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally posted this chapter prematurely my bad

Dante twisted a finger in his ear, his laugh petering out as his guest stared him down. There was no way he heard that right, absolutely none-

"Is something wrong?" Cor asked harshly, brow furrowed in disdain. 

"I, uh, just thought you said Gilgamesh is all," Dante beamed, "You're talking about the Devil Breaker arms right? Nico made them herself, I-"

"Listen, we don't have all day for this, Dante," Cor sighed, "Either you know Gilgamesh or you don't."

Dante let his mouth hang open, closing it after letting a few flies make roost. The light overhead flickered, the buzz annoying in his ear. His gaze fell on the phone sitting to his left; he had taken the chord out of the wall after Patty had called him one too many times, but Dante thought he should plug it back in, ignore Patty's calls and get Morrison on the line. 

Breathe, Dante, Dante's mind raced a mile a minute as he returned Cor's steely gaze, "I'm sorry, Cor, bur we've never had any Gilgamesh hidden in any caves around here."

Dante knew Cor didn't believe him, if thr judgemental stare was anything to go by. Dante heard Cor's friend on the couch with the other guy- it looked like he was still trying to chat him up, the other guy habing none of it as he pressed himself into the side of the couch, head buried deeply in his book. 

"If your friend keeps bothering him so much, I'm going to have to tell you to leave for disturbing the peace," Dante said coldly.

Cor just raised an eyebrow, slowly turning to his friend and barking "Gladio! He isn't interested-"

"Yeah..." Gladio apparently groaned in pain, "Got that after something bit me-"

"While your interest is appreciated, your tenacity is misplaced," the man seemed to drawl, giving Gladio a saccharin smile before pushing himself off the couch, hobbling over to the desk on his cane.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Gladio conceded, "Cor, you got the info?"

Dante glared at Cor as he said, "Nah. We can take our chances." 

Yeah, right, Dante thought as he watched Gladio give an apology to the man, gesturing for Cor to follow him. The bell above the door rang, soon leaving Dante in strained silence with the other man. 

"You okay?" Dante asked him after he was sure they were gone. The man shrugges, tracing a long finger in the dirt on the counter in a swirling pattern, flicking dust off his nails. 

"It was.... endearing, I guess," the man said, his voice a deep rumble in the back of his throat, "He asked about my tattoos."

Dante frowned, "What about them? They stick-poke tattoos or something?"

"Or something."

Dante leaned over on the counter, resting his chin in his hands, "Well, Or Something, welcome to Devil May Cry, how may I help you?"

\----------

Gladio was giving Cor the stink-eye the whole drive to the caves; Cor had encouraged him to go talk to the guy, yes. Did he get a little too into fliritng with him once he saw up close the beautiful black swirls of ink decorating the man's body? Maybe and sure, he got a little ahead of himself while flirting sometimes, but he knew when to reign it in.

"How was your little friend back there?" Cor asked as he drove.

Gladio scowled, "We were discussing his book before you and the old guy interrupted."

Gladio leaned against the window of the car, watching the flash of scenery go by- dingy buildings and people bustling on the street. Orange street lights were on every corner and the road was cracked and riddled with potholes. He'd never been to Red Grave City before this job, but Gladio didn't think he'd ever want to come back, even for a day trip. 

"How come this place wasn't on the map?" Gladio asked.

"Huh?" 

"If I'm remembering correctly, this place wasn't on any of the maps the guys and I picked up in Hammerhead, so how did it get here?"

A van honked at them in paasing as Cor made a sharp left, "Some towns are so small they don't get charted on maps."

Gladio hummed- that was probably it, right? Red Grave was just too small a town to be deemed important enough to get put in maps, almost like a single block with a bunch of shops and apartment conplexes; while they were in Devil May Cry, though, something.... something felt off, but he wasn't sure. 

He hadn't felt anything off until he started talking to the guy- V was what he had called himself, in a deep voice that made Gladio's heart stir in his chest. The guy was certainly lanky but managed to make it work, with the shaggy hair and the all blacl ensemble and tattoos. 

Him being a fan of William Blake was a plus, but still. 

"Right, yeah," Gladio sais, "Just thinking out loud is all."

"Unfortunately Dante didn't have any information on Gilgamesh," Cor said as he rolled the car to a stop, "We'll have to be wary when we go in, but you can back out if-"

Gladio shot up in his seat, "No! I have to do this, Cor. You know that."

Gladio tensed as Cor looked him over, shoulders sagging with relief as he said, "Fine. But if you die, that's on your own stupidity. Noctis needs you now more than ever so you better get your head out of the clouds and get to work."

Gladio beamed, cracking his knuckles.

Time to get to work.


End file.
